Paper short abstract:

The periodic election of the long-dominant Liberal Democratic Party’s leader is a significant ritual in Japanese politics. From a historical perspective, I reexamine the nature of these leadership contests, investigating the notion that they are largely devoid of policy or ideological substance.

Paper long abstract:

The election of the Liberal Democratic Party’s top leader, its president (sōsai), is one of the most important rituals in Japanese politics. Since its founding in 1955, the LDP has been Japan’s dominant political party and under the country’s parliamentary system, the head of the majority party in the National Diet almost inevitably doubles as the prime minister. In characterizing LDP leadership elections, analysts have often focused on the role of money, factions, and backroom deals in what are essentially elite intraparty contests. Policy goals or ideological affirmations expressed during these events tend to be seen as lip service done to give candidacies a veneer of higher public purpose.

To what extent is this conventional wisdom true? In this paper, I reassess LDP leadership elections from a historical perspective. In particular, I will focus on the election of 1964. This case involved the standard machinations by party bosses and their factions but was also heralded by some as centered on policies and programs to an unprecedented level. After analyzing how this contest was evaluated by prominent political participants and observers, I will examine the media coverage at the time and available information about public opinion. This study will carefully consider the conventions and rituals of such party leadership elections, also aiming to draw connections to contemporary Japanese politics, in which the LDP remains very much in charge.